The Return
by MaddilynnCarol
Summary: What happens when Bella and Edward go to visit the other Cullens after not seeing them for a year? The long awaited sequel to Wedding Night: What Happens Next?
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own Twilight. Stephenie Meyer does!**

Bella and Edward lay in their bed watching the sun rise over the trees

Bella and Edward lay in their bed watching the sun rise over the trees. The light slowly reached the window, sliding across the floor, and slowly up the side of the bed before it reached their cold skin. The room lit up with the reflective glow of their skin and Bella smiled.

She had grown very happy in her new life with Edward. The _change_ hadn't changed much between them at all. She'd began to re-enter the human world only a year after being turned in Alaska. She still didn't remember much about those painful three days and Edward didn't like talking about it.

As the sun rose higher in the sky, Bella turned to her wonderful husband and kissed him gently on the mouth.

"Good morning" she said to him when she pulled away and looked into his bright golden eyes. Edward's eyes reflected the same color as her own. He smiled down at her beautiful face before drawing her closer into his chest and kissing her with more love than the world has ever known.

She didn't gasp for air when their kisses broke now, not like she once had. Her head still swam though, as if their kisses drew all of the air from the room, not that they needed it.

Bella looked at his gorgeous face and smiled. He still _dazzled_ her.

The room stopped spinning and they simply lay in one another's arms. They were the only two people in the whole world, not including the rest of the Cullens, of course.

Bella and Edward hadn't seen their family in Forks, Washington since the battle against Tanya and her sister Irina. They could never go back there. Charlie and the rest of the town thought that they had died in a tragic fire in Italy while on their honeymoon. There was only one person left back there who knew the truth.

Jacob and the rest of the pack members were keeping a very close eye on the border between the Cullen's and the rez. Jake had been there for Charlie when the news that his young, beautiful, and just married only daughter was dead. In Jake's opinion, Bella truly was dead and was never coming back.

Jacob and his dad, Billy, had planned the whole funeral. It had been beautiful, with freesias everywhere and a great marble head stone with both Bella's and Edward's names on it. Jake hated that but Alice had insisted it would be more realistic. Everyone in the pack was at the service, except Leah Clearwater. The rest of the Cullens where also on hand. Alice comforted Charlie the best she could. Rene and Phil flew up from Jacksonville and almost every person in Forks that had known Bella was there. Angela was there, right next to Alice, with Ben and Jessica had shown up with Mike Newton.

Bella missed her family very much. She'd known that they would have to leave, but she'd hoped that she'd have more time to say goodbye. Alice had come to see them once since they'd been gone. She'd told them about the funeral and about Charlie and Rene. She never mentioned the one person she really wanted to hear about. It reminded Bella of a time when Alice had come to comfort Charlie. When she saw Bella cliff dive and thought she was dead. When she arrived however, she found Bella tired and sore but otherwise in perfect health. They'd talked then too, but not about one person. This time it was the other most important person to her that was left out of the conversation.

She did tell Bella about Sam and Emily's wedding, which took place a couple of months after Bella and Edward left, thanks to Alice. She'd planned the whole thing as a thank you to Sam for all he and the pack had done. She did have to plan it entirely through letters to Emily but it turned out beautiful. It took place at sunset on the cliff surrounded by a sea of candles and moonlight.

Alice talked about everything that had happened after they'd left, all the way up until the Cullens had moved on too. They left Forks three months after Bella and Edward did. Rose and Emmett were off in South America enjoying the heat. Alice and Jasper were back with Carlisle and Esme after they took a trip to Houston so that Jasper could show Alice "the South". Carlisle was working in a great hospital in a small town in northern Canada. Esme was nearly done renovating their new six bedroom mansion. It wasn't as secluded as Forks had been, but it was still lovely.

Bella was brought back to the present by Edward. He'd gotten out of bed and moved toward the door, still wearing only his pajama bottoms. They didn't need to sleep but they still enjoyed laying in bed together at night. They would talk until the sun came back up. It was better than anything Bella could have ever imagined. She was entirely happy, as long as she still had Edward.

**A/n: I just wanted to say thank you to all of the people who asked for this. I am still working on my book Runaway but writing for you guys is always realy fun. I hope you enjoy the sequel and be sure to let me know what you guys think. I love reviews!!**


	2. Chapter 2

**I do not own Twilight! :(**

Bella was working as a secretary as a law firm while Edward worked as a doctor

Bella was working as a secretary as a law firm while Edward worked as a doctor. He was the youngest (and oldest) resident the hospital had ever had. Both of them enjoyed their life together. Bella hadn't really ever had a problem with a thirst for human blood. The smell was still the same as it had been as a human. She only ever fed on animals, even if she did feed more than Edward thought was necessary, Bella didn't take chances. She was constantly afraid she might feel that burning thirst for another person one day.

Bella and Edward often wrote to their family but never went to visit them. Bella finally asked Edward about this that Saturday morning as he read the newspaper.

"Edward?"

"Yes, Bella?" he replied, never looking up from the paper in his hands.

"We've both got some vacation time from work coming up, don't we?" the question seemed innocent enough.

"Yeah, I think so. Why? Did you want to go away some where?" he asked.

"Well, I was just thinking-"

"That's not always safe." He cut her off with a laugh.

Bella growled and Edward finally looked from the pages of his paper. Bella was glaring at him over the screen of her computer.

"I'm sorry love, what were you thinking?" he gave her that beautiful crooked smile that she still couldn't resist.

"Well," she tried to keep her face as stern as she could, "I miss Alice."

"I know you do Bella-"

"So," she cut across him, "I thought we could visit. We could spend some time up north, in the mountains." She tried to get him to picture his long missed favorite dish of mountain lion. Edward smiled at the thought of having the big cat as well as her attempt at implanting the image in his mind.

"I'm sure that Jasper would be happy to see you and you've missed Carlisle so much while working at the hospital…" Bella trailed off as she was getting prepared to plead with the doubts she was sure he had, but they never came.

"Bells, I think that that would be wonderful. Some time with the family would be great." Edward go up from his chair, crossed the room, and kissed Bella gently on the lips. She smiled up at him from her desk chair. Edward caught a glance at the screen and his smile faded.

"Bella, I thought you'd stopped checking that everyday." He gestured toward the monitor. Bella had been checking the Forks newspaper online.

"I'm sorry, but, I miss Charlie and I worry about him. I just want to make sure he is okay. I do the same thing with mom and Phil. I can't write to them so I check the papers." Bella had a very distressed look in her eyes when Edward smiled his understanding at her.

"Maybe we can stop by Forks and check on him on our way to the others. Alice can meet us there and lead us up." He was trying to comfort her.

Bella smiled back with slight force. She was unsure if it would be safe for Charlie if she was near, or for them to be so close to Jacob and the pack. Edward quickly read the emotions on her face.

"If you don't want to go there, we don't have to, Bella. I just know you miss _them_ a lot. It was just a thought."

"No, Edward. I would like that a lot actually. Just a day to see dad. To make sure he is okay. Alice can meet us there-" at that moment Bella's little silver phone rang. She answered it without looking at the ID.

"So you _have_ been spying. I thought you might be." Bella listened to the person on the other and of the call while Edward watched, slightly confused.

"Alice wants to know when we're coming." Bella told him after a few minutes.

Realization flooded Edward's face and he smiled.

"Tell her we leave in two days."


	3. Chapter 3

**I do not own Twilight!**

Bella and Edward drove in silence toward the city limits of Forks, Washington. It seemed almost as if the car had been filled with excited electricity as well as the feeling that all the air had been sucked out of the car. Bella's anticipation to see Charlie slightly over shadowed Edward's anxiousness to get away from the wolves quickly.

They reached the driveway to the large white house around twilight. Alice was waiting for them on the large porch steps. Jasper was not with her, which surprised Bella. She'd expected to see both of them waiting. As soon as the car stopped, Alice was at Bella's door with a huge smile.

"It's so great to see you!" Alice said as she kissed Bella on the cheek. She smiled at Edward as he surfaced from the car.

"It's good to see you too Alice." Bella was just as excited as Alice seemed to be. She noticed, however; the slight glance toward Edward as they made their way back up the porch steps and into the house. She wasn't sure what it was about but dismissed it. She was to excited to be home.

"How have things been?" Alice asked them as she turned lights on in the wide open living room. The house looked exactly the same as it always had. The white walls still pristine and the beautiful piano still sitting on its raised platform, waiting for Edward to return to it someday.

"We've been fine, nothing too exciting going on. The drive up was pretty quiet, but tell us how you've been. How is everyone?" Edward asked as the three of them made their way to the couch to sit. It was getting darker and they knew that they didn't have much time before they would be watching Charlie.

"Everyone at home is good. Esme finally finished the house, I really think that you guys will love your room. I helped decorate it." She gave them a wide smile. "Rosalie and Emmett are back too. They heard you guys were coming up for a visit and decided they wanted to be there too. It will be nice to have the whole family back together again. Esme has missed you both terribly…" Alice's voice trailed off. Bella was mentally searching the house. No one had been there since they'd left but something still didn't feel right. Had someone been there? Maybe not in the house itself, but near it? But who would come here for them? The only people who knew Bella and Edward were still alive where the pack and the other Cullens.

Bella rose from the couch and began to walk through each room of the house. The food in the fridge had been thrown out and the dishes were all clean and still put away. The beds were all still made from the last day the others had been there. There were no signs of any intruders and no scent of the pack. Bella was puzzled. No soul had been in this house since her family had left it nearly two years ago, but there was still a strange feeling in this place. Like someone had been searching for her here but never found her.

"Bella?" Edward's cool velvet voice filled the room she was standing in, searching out the window for a clue to what it was she was missing. She jumped, she hadn't heard him come in, and turned to him with a weak smile. This was surly one of those times when she was still glade he couldn't read her mind.

"Its time to go, are you okay?" he asked her.

"I'm fine, I just wanted a look around. I've missed this place so much. It was home, and it still is to me." She gave him another weak smile and headed past him out the door. She paused briefly to kiss him lightly on the cheek.

Edward, Bella, and Alice all piled into Edward's car and headed back toward town. The drove slower than usual, taking in all that they had missed. Once they made their way onto Charlie's street, Bella became very nervous.

"I'm not sure I can do this!" her voice was shacking, "Am I even ready to be this close to him?"

"Bella, your ready. I know you really want this. He will be asleep, so all you have to do is watch him for a while." Alice was trying to comfort her.

"You can do this. Your strong." Edward told her as they pulled in front of the house. Bella wanted to cry at the sight of her old home. She'd missed her day so much. She smiled at them both and opened the door.

Bella made her way around the side of the house to where she knew her dad's window would be. She took a deep breath and a strong scent caught her attention but she brushed it off and made her way up the side of the house and in through Charlie's window. It slid open easily and she set her feet lightly on the floor without making a sound. She looked around and her eyes finally fell upon her sleeping father. He was breathing evenly and not stirring at all. A lump filled Bella's throat and she silently sobbed into her hands.

She sat watching Charlie sleep for what seemed like a long time. She eventually made her way out of the room and away from her sleeping father. She silently stepped across the hall into her own room. It was exactly the same as it'd been the night she left with Edward to go on her "honeymoon". She was touched that Charlie hadn't changed anything but still hurt that she had to leave him. There were flowers on the small table next to her bed. They looked fresh and there was also a letter. Bella walked over to the table and picked up the letter. It was addressed to her. She sat on the bed and felt it sink under her weight. She read the letter to her from her father and again sobbed into her hands. She'd hurt him so much.

Bella went down to the kitchen next and searched to make sure that he was eating something other than pizza and take out. The fridge was stocked and full of food, which surprised Bella. She'd always done the cooking in the house but someone had been cooking in this house. She walked into the small family room and saw the pictures back on the mantel. She sat on the small sofa and then that same strong scent caught her attention. It was rank. Strong and with a hint of wet dog.

"Dog," she whispered into the darkness. Jacob had been here, and recently. Was he watching over Charlie? Or was he just hanging out with him and Billy, helping him?

Jacob. She'd missed him more than her own dad. He'd been her best friend, but she'd not even gotten the chance to see him before they left. The last memory she had of him was the pained look in his eyes when he saw her after her change. She'd loved him.

Bella brushed the thought of Jacob back into the deepest part of her heart and mind and returned back to her father's side. She sat with him for a little while longer and then returned to the car. Edward and Alice where waiting for her in silence.

The ride home was quiet. No one spoke at all.

**A/N: I KNow not much is going on right now but it does get better. I hope you like it. R&R**


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